Busyness is Not Godliness

The busyness of religion creates an “outward doing” oriented people obsessed with their inner fears and perpetual anxieties as they try to achieve an enviable status of spiritually elitism to gain the recognition the religious elite, rather than creating an “inward being" people, reflecting and projecting humbleness, peace and love, doing their doing because of Jesus working in and through them, the true characteristics of of a spiritual relationship with God.

Behind the busyness of religious activity is the assumption that a person's doing determines who a person is as well as their spiritually. The busyness of doing religion, if only an outward expression to maintain spirituality without the qualities of being in Christ manifested in them will not produce spiritual maturity, rather it  is an expressionless endeavor of self-effort to boost egoistic superiority and to look good religiously.

Because a person works harder and longer at religious activity does not mean they are spiritually activated, it may mean they are spiritually depleted and their religious busyness defines their spiritual deplete-less-ness.

It has been said that “Busyness is not of the devil; busyness is the devil.” Why? because it robs you from resting and trusting in God where His doing through you is your doing because of the relational journey you are on with Him.

Religious busyness can be a matter of presumption and pride. “If I don’t do it, it won’t get done because people are not committed to the church.” I am doing this for the pastor, and obedience is better than sacrifice.”

Before we do what we do, we need to rest in what God has done and is doing. We need to understand that the work we do only has lasting meaning and benefit when it fits in with what God is already doing regarding His purpose for the Community of the Redeemed and His plan for the Community of Humanity.

When we finally acknowledge the measly contribution to spirituality all our religious busyness is, when we recognize the spiritually laziness of religious busyness keeps us from hearing, obeying and understanding God and His gospel of grace, when it becomes clear that religious busyness feeds our pride, reveals our desire to be in control and receive religious brownie points, we need to come to Jesus and let Him to do His great work of…SETTING US FREE, from the busyness of religion to rest in His finished work,  where He is doing His work through us and His doing becomes our doing.


- Glenn Regular